Seasonal Deer Diets in Central Texas and Their Response to Brush Control

Abstract

The diets of female white-tailed deer in central Texas were examined over a 12- month period to determine variations in diets in response to brush removal and seasonality of forage species. Five intensities of mechanical brush removal were applied. No consistent trends in diets were detected relative to intensity of brush removal. The annual diet consisted of 102 species and was comprised of 56% browse, 35% forbs, and 9% grass. Nineteen species comprised 85% of the annual diet. The effect of precipitation on herbaceous forage availability seemed to be the major factor influencing forage selection. ha ranch is surrounded by a 2.3-m deer-proof fence. Soils in this region are shallow stony clays of limestone origin. Topography is characterized by gently rolling hills. Annual precipitation averages 63.5 cm. Arborescent vegetation is predominantly a mixture of white shin oak (Quercus breviloba), blackjack oak (Q. marilandica), post oak (Q. stellata), Spanish oak (Q. texana), live oak (Q. virginiana), juniper (Juniperus spp.), and mesquite (Prosopis spp.). Ashe juniper (J. ashei) is the dominant woody species. Common grasses and forbs are common curlymesquite (Hilaria belangeri), Wrights' threeawn (Aristida wrightii), grama grasses (Bouteloua spp.), Texas wintergrass (Stipa leucotricha), upright prairie coneflower (Ratibida columnaris), arrowleaf sida (Sida rhombifolia), yellow woodsorrel (Oxalis dillenii), plantains (Plantago spp.), verbenas (Verbena spp.), one-seeded croton (Croton monanthogynus), and two-leafed senna (Cassia roemeriana) (Rollins, 1983).